Group G
Manager: Sven-Goran Eriksson
Star Player: Didier Drogba
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Best result: 1st round (2006)
All-time record: 3 games played, 1 win, 0 draws, 2 losses
Goals for: 5, Goals against: 6
Biggest victory: 3-2 vs. Serbia in 2006
Biggest defeat: 2-1 vs. Argentina in 2006 and 2-1 vs. the Netherlands in 2006
Top scorer: Aruna Dindane (2 goals)
Most appearances: Several players (3 matches)
Hosted the World Cup: Never
LIVE STREAM IVORY COAST MATCHES :
June 15, 2010 @ 14:00GMT Group Stage Group G
Ivory Coast vs Portugal
at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium
June 20, 2010 @ 18:30GMT Group Stage Group G
Brazil vs Ivory Coast
at Soccer City Stadium
June 25, 2010 @ 14:00GMT Group Stage Group G
North Korea vs Ivory Coast
at Mbombela Stadium
A 30-man squad was announced on May 12 and the final squad of 23 has to be submitted to FIFA by June 1
- Vincent Angban Goalkeeper 1.83m 74 kg February 2, 1985
- Boubacar Barry Goalkeeper 1.80m 70 kg December 30, 1979
- Daniel Yeboah Goalkeeper 1.87m 84 kg November 13, 1984
- Aristide Zogbo Goalkeeper 1.84m 80 kg December 30, 1981
- Brou Angoua Defender 1.83m 76 kg November 28, 1986
- Souleymane Bamba Defender 1.90m 90 kg January 13, 1985
- Arthur Boka Defender 1.66m 65 kg April 2, 1983
- Guy Demel Defender 1.89m 85 kg June 13, 1981
- Emmanuel Eboue Defender 1.78m 72 kg June 4, 1983
- Steve Gohouri Defender 1.89m 83 kg January 12, 1981
- Abdoulaye Meite Defender 1.85m 82 kg October 6, 1980
- Siaka Tiéné Defender 1.76m 72 kg February 22, 1982
- Kolo Toure Defender 1.80m 74 kg March 19, 1981
- Kanga Akale Midfielder 1.78m 73 kg March 7, 1981
- Emerse Fae Midfielder 1.74m 71 kg January 24, 1984
- Jean-Jacques Gosso Midfielder 1.77m 75 kg March 15, 1983
- Abdul Kader Keita Midfielder 1.83m 78 kg August 6, 1981
- Emmanuel Koné Midfielder 1.75m 60 kg December 31, 1986
- Romaric Midfielder 1.87m 88 kg June 4, 1983
- Chiek Tiote Midfielder 1.80m 76 kg June 21, 1986
- Gnegneri Yaya Toure Midfielder 1.89m 79 kg May 13, 1983
- Gilles Yapi Yapo Midfielder 1.71m 63 kg January 30, 1982
- Didier Zokora Midfielder 1.83m 78 kg December 14, 1980
- Aruna Dindane Forward 1.73m 72 kg November 26, 1980
- Seydou Doumbia Forward 1.78m 74 kg December 31, 1987
- Didier Drogba Forward 1.88m 84 kg March 11, 1978
- Salomon Kalou Forward 1.70m 65 kg August 5, 1985
- Bakari Koné Forward 1.63m 61 kg September 17, 1981
- Lacina Traore Forward 1.86m 75 kg May 20, 1985
- Gervinho Forward 1.79m 66 kg May 27, 1987
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Appearances at finals:
2006 - First round
Overall record at finals: Played 3, Won 1, Drawn 0, Lost 2.
Best performance: First round in 2006.
Most appearances at finals: Didier Zokora (2006), Arthur Boka (2006), Yaya Toure (2006), Emmanuel Eboue (2006) - 3.
Most goals at finals: Aruna Dindane (2006) - 2.
World Cup high: Beating Serbia & Montenegro 3-2 in their final group game at the 2006 finals to record their first ever World Cup victory.
World Cup low: After winning the 1992 African Nations Cup, big things were expected of the 'Elephants', but they failed to qualify for the 1994 World Cup finals, crashing 4-1 to Nigeria in their final qualification group game and losing out to the 'Super Eagles' on goal difference.
World Cup legend: The likes of Didier Drogba or Yaya Toure may spring to mind, but Aruna Dindane is the man who handed the 'Elephants' their first finals victory with his double salvo against Serbia & Montenegro.
The story so far: In 2006, Ivory Coast made history by competing in their first finals and were tipped to impress with a host of Premier League stars in their ranks. They had emerged as victors of a tricky African qualification group containing Egypt and Cameroon but, unfortunately, the 'Elephants' were again drawn in the so-called 'group of death' for the finals - alongside Argentina, Netherlands and Serbia & Montenegro. The 'Elephants' gave a good account of themselves, losing by a single goal to the Netherlands (2-1) and Argentina (2-1).
Amazingly, the 'Elephants' went 2-0 down in each of their three group stage encounters but, against Serbia & Montenegro in the dead rubber that concluded their campaign, Ivory Coast came back with a brace from Dindane and a late penalty from Bonaventure Kalou handing the 'Elephants' their first ever World Cup victory.
Prior to the 2006 tournament, Ivory Coast had suffered a number of disappointing qualification campaigns, including losing out to a dominant Tunisia side in 2002 qualification, failing to even make the final round after crashing to a 3-1 defeat to Congo for the 1998 tournament and missing out on a place at the 1994 finals on goal difference to Nigeria, despite being widely fancied after lifting the African Nations Cup in 2002.
Qualification: It was a fairly comfortable qualifying campaign this time round for the 'Elephants' and they qualified for the 2010 finals with a game to spare. In the first round, Ivory Coast followed the African qualification manual to a tee, drawing their three away matches and winning all their home games to see off Mozambique, Madagascar and Botswana.
In the second round, they were drawn alongside Malawi and neighbours Burkina Faso and Guinea. In African qualifying, it is often a blessing when you face countries who are within a close travelling distance and the 'Elephants' took full advantage, beating Guinea and Burkina Faso home and away to win the group at a canter.
Qualifying record (second round): P6, W3, D3, L0, F10, A2, Pts12.
Qualifying record (third round): P6, W5, D1, L0, F19, A4, Pts16.
Most appearances: Didier Zokora, Emmanuel Eboue (12).
Top goalscorer: Didier Drogba (6).
Côte d'Ivoire Team Profile:
If an African team is to make a major impact on the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ finals in South Africa, Côte d'Ivoire are seen by many as the most likely candidates. And with world class talent throughout the starting 11, it's no wonder. Les Elephants also a point to prove after being eliminated in the first round at Germany 2006, albeit in an extremely difficult group, where they lost 2-1 to giants Argentina and the Netherlands before coming from two goals down to beat Serbia and Montenegro 3-2.
With more experience, and a little more luck in the draw, Didier Drogba and Co are certain to be a handful in attack as they look to cement their emerging pedigree on the international level at South Africa 2010.
The road to South Africa
Befitting their status as one of the continent's powerhouses, Côte d'Ivoire strode through qualifying without losing a match, running away with their final qualifying group ahead of Burkina Faso, Malawi and Guinea. There only moment of genuine uncertainty came when they were on the brink of qualifying, although - as usual - Didier Drogba responded when his team needed him. The Chelsea man's decisive 70th-minute goal at Burkina Faso gave the side just enough insurance to hold off the Stallions 3-2 in Ouagadougou, and fittingly, it was his dramatic equaliser after coming off the bench against Malawi that gave the West Africans a 1-1 draw and the point they needed to reach South Africa. All told, the Chelsea man was top scorer for Les Elephants, with six goals in five matches.
The star players
Les Elephants feature top-drawer talent throughout their side, with the Chelsea pair of Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou a formidable duo up front. Sevilla's Didier Zokora and Barcelona's Yaya Toure provide bite in midfield alongside Marseille's diminutive Bakary Kone, while the England-based pair of Emmanuel Eboue and Kolo Toure combine with Stuttgart's Arthur Boka to form one of the best defences in Africa.
The coach
Vahid Halilhodzic took the reins of his first national side when he assumed control of Côte d'Ivoire after the 2008 CAF African Cup of Nations. However, the Bosnian only made it through the next edition of the continental contest when he was sacked after a disappointing quarter-final finish at Angola 2010. After Guus Hiddink and Bernd Schuster were both linked with the job, Sven-Goran Eriksson was given the helm just months before the start of the finals.
South Africa 2010 will be Eriksson's third FIFA World Cup after leading England to the quarter-finals at both the 2002 and 2006 finals. He had an unsuccessful stint with Mexico in the first half of qualifying for 2010, but he was sacked after less than a year. He is a vastly experienced club coach, having led Gothenburg to the UEFA Cup in 1982, and leading teams in Portugal, England and Italy.
Record
• Côte d'Ivoire were the only nation at Germany 2006 whose squad was made up of players entirely based at clubs outside their home country.
• They are the only team to never failed to score in a FIFA World Cup match.
• Côte d'Ivoire conceded early goals in all three of their 2006 matches, with all six of their goals against coming before the 40th minute.
What they said
"At the last World Cup we played really well, but we were unlucky because we were in a very tough group with Argentina and Holland and went out in the first round. But I think with this kind of experience, it will be possible at South Africa 2010 to do much better. Perhaps we can make the quarter-finals and then semi-finals; this is something we can achieve," Côte d'Ivoire striker Didier Drogba.
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